We was all too busy to remember about the
men we had chucked into the sand; but he didn't forget. For why? Because
he was one of them himself, and because he had determined all along to
go to that pit as soon as ever he could, and get them out of it.

"How'd he get 'em out, you ask? I don't know. I only know that he did
get 'em out somehow, for they are out. I know that for certain."

Nick, in the character of Turner, leaped to his feet.

"I object!" he cried out. "This man ain't tryin' this case fair. I don't
know who he is, and I don't keer a cuss; I only know that you app'inted
me to defend him, and I'm a-goin' to do it till you tell me to stop. I
object, ma'am, to the course he is adoptin'. It ain't fair. He's making
a lot of statements the which he ain't got a shadow of proof about. I
don't know anything about that air fire he speaks about, 'ceptin' what
I've heerd down at Calamont. But we ain't got the fire here as a
witness; and we ain't got the quicksand here as a witness; and we ain't
got the two men as he says was saved from it here as witnesses. And
unless he can produce witnesses to testify to what he says about them
air escapes, I move that the hull speech he made be strucken out, your
honor. Let him call his witnesses to the stand, and swear 'em, or swear
at 'em. Let him do suthin, 'cept standing up there and shootin' off his
mouth."

Madge smiled grimly. She was getting more enjoyment out of this affair
than she had anticipated.

"Call your witnesses, Mike," she said.

"I ain't got none, Madge, to swear to what I have said, but every one
here knows it is the solemn truth. I don't need no witnesses. However,
I'll put Handsome on the stand fur a minute, about the way the bunch
arrived at our camp, if you say so."

"I think it would be a good idea. It would be more regular."

"All right, Madge. Handsome, take the stand. Hold up your right hand,
and swear that you'll tell the truth. That's all right. Now, did you
hear what I said about your findin' that outfit in the woods north of
the track?"

"I did."

"Wasn't it the dead-level truth?"

"It was."

"The hull four was there, warn't they?"

"They were."

"And they was all strangers?"

"They were."

"You never seen any one of them afore that time, had you?"

"Never."

"And, later, wasn't it found out that three of 'em were spies?"

"It was."

"And wasn't one of the spies Nick Carter himself?"

"Yes."

"And weren't the other two hi